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| TV chat show star Simon Dee dies | TV chat show star Simon Dee dies |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chat show host Simon Dee, one of the biggest stars on British TV in the 1960s, has died at the age of 74. | Chat show host Simon Dee, one of the biggest stars on British TV in the 1960s, has died at the age of 74. |
| Dee presented the Dee Time programme on BBC TV in the late 1960s. | Dee presented the Dee Time programme on BBC TV in the late 1960s. |
| He was synonymous with the spirit of the Swinging Sixties and rubbed shoulders with many of the biggest stars of the day. | He was synonymous with the spirit of the Swinging Sixties and rubbed shoulders with many of the biggest stars of the day. |
| But he fell from grace at the end of the decade and disappeared from the airwaves. He died from bone cancer, his daughter Domino Henty-Dodd said. | But he fell from grace at the end of the decade and disappeared from the airwaves. He died from bone cancer, his daughter Domino Henty-Dodd said. |
| Mrs Henty-Dodd said her father was diagnosed a matter of weeks ago and could not be treated. | Mrs Henty-Dodd said her father was diagnosed a matter of weeks ago and could not be treated. |
| "It happened very, very quickly," she told BBC News. "He was dearly loved by his family." | "It happened very, very quickly," she told BBC News. "He was dearly loved by his family." |
| Dee, real name Nicholas Henty-Dodd, started his career on pirate radio, and was the first voice to be heard on Radio Caroline in 1964. | Dee, real name Nicholas Henty-Dodd, started his career on pirate radio, and was the first voice to be heard on Radio Caroline in 1964. |
| Dee (second left) presented an award to The Beatles in 1965 | |
| He then moved to the BBC, where he was among the launch line-up for Radio 1. | He then moved to the BBC, where he was among the launch line-up for Radio 1. |
| Dee Time, his pop music TV show, attracted a peak audience of 15 million people from 1967-69. | Dee Time, his pop music TV show, attracted a peak audience of 15 million people from 1967-69. |
| It captured the era, with closing credits famously featuring Dee driving away in an E type Jaguar next to a blonde woman. | It captured the era, with closing credits famously featuring Dee driving away in an E type Jaguar next to a blonde woman. |
| He show's catchphrase, in a nod to The Johnny Carson Show in the US, was the introduction: "It's Siiiimon Dee!" | He show's catchphrase, in a nod to The Johnny Carson Show in the US, was the introduction: "It's Siiiimon Dee!" |
| Dee was also seen on early episodes of Top of the Pops and had cameo roles in the films The Italian Job and Doctor In Trouble. | Dee was also seen on early episodes of Top of the Pops and had cameo roles in the films The Italian Job and Doctor In Trouble. |
| Liz Hurley has said the Austin Powers movie character was based on Dee. | Liz Hurley has said the Austin Powers movie character was based on Dee. |
| Former BBC Radio 1 and Radio Caroline DJ Johnnie Walker said Dee's appeal was his common touch. | Former BBC Radio 1 and Radio Caroline DJ Johnnie Walker said Dee's appeal was his common touch. |
| "He was just kind of a normal guy, in the same way [that] so many groups like the Beatles and all that followed were. It was just part of that youth revolution thing," he told BBC News. | "He was just kind of a normal guy, in the same way [that] so many groups like the Beatles and all that followed were. It was just part of that youth revolution thing," he told BBC News. |
| "And Simon had the looks and was a bit cheeky and he was the sort of guy that mums would like their daughters to bring round for tea." | "And Simon had the looks and was a bit cheeky and he was the sort of guy that mums would like their daughters to bring round for tea." |
| Simon Dee had a short-lived stint at London Weekend Television | Simon Dee had a short-lived stint at London Weekend Television |
| Dee told Joan Bakewell in an interview in 1987: "The 60s were a time when everything was growing. | Dee told Joan Bakewell in an interview in 1987: "The 60s were a time when everything was growing. |
| "There was a tremendous explosion of art and creativity and I had the good fortune to have them with me, people that were doing it. | "There was a tremendous explosion of art and creativity and I had the good fortune to have them with me, people that were doing it. |
| "So one was very much in touch with this flow, which ended when the 60s ended. As I did." | "So one was very much in touch with this flow, which ended when the 60s ended. As I did." |
| The tale of Dee's rise to stardom and subsequent swift demise passed into TV legend as an early example of the fickle nature of celebrity. | The tale of Dee's rise to stardom and subsequent swift demise passed into TV legend as an early example of the fickle nature of celebrity. |
| "He was huge in his day," his daughter said. "Before celebrity became such an everyday thing, he was a celebrity in the real sense. | "He was huge in his day," his daughter said. "Before celebrity became such an everyday thing, he was a celebrity in the real sense. |
| "He was one of the first to become famous so quickly." She added that he loved the music acts he worked with in the 60s. | "He was one of the first to become famous so quickly." She added that he loved the music acts he worked with in the 60s. |
| After becoming increasingly difficult to work with, Dee left the BBC after wrangling with TV executive Bill Cotton over a new contract. | After becoming increasingly difficult to work with, Dee left the BBC after wrangling with TV executive Bill Cotton over a new contract. |
| Instead, he went to London Weekend Television, but was sacked and his comeback attempts were short-lived. | Instead, he went to London Weekend Television, but was sacked and his comeback attempts were short-lived. |
| He ended up on the dole and served time in prison for not paying his rates, and spent his final years in Winchester, Hampshire, in virtual obscurity. | He ended up on the dole and served time in prison for not paying his rates, and spent his final years in Winchester, Hampshire, in virtual obscurity. |
| Mark Linsey, BBC controller of entertainment commissioning, said: "We're sorry to hear of Simon's death. | Mark Linsey, BBC controller of entertainment commissioning, said: "We're sorry to hear of Simon's death. |
| "Simon was an iconic figure within the entertainment industry and shaped the face of entertainment chat shows in the 1960s and was one of the leading presenters of the time." | "Simon was an iconic figure within the entertainment industry and shaped the face of entertainment chat shows in the 1960s and was one of the leading presenters of the time." |
| Dee was married three times and is survived by four children and four grandchildren. | Dee was married three times and is survived by four children and four grandchildren. |
| What are you memories of Simon Dee? Did you meet or work with him? Send us your comments using the form below. | What are you memories of Simon Dee? Did you meet or work with him? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |